Ever since the world got hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, all of us have faced a number of challenges that we weren't expecting to tackle in the pre-COVID era. The challenging times tested us in ways more than one. Many lost their jobs, got relocated, and lost a fortune due to the pandemic's impact. To sum it up, we can say that it was a stressful time for all of us. Now, in one of the largest studies on women’s well-being, it has been found that levels of stress, anxiety, worry, sadness and anger among women worldwide were at a 10-year high in 2021 post-pandemic.

According to Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, which conducts an annual survey to provide timely, globally comprehensive data from women's perspectives on their health and wellbeing, worry, stress and anger levels among women rose by 3%, while sadness rose by 6% in 2021 as compared to 2020. The stats are all record highs since the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index began tracking emotional health almost a decade ago.

The survey that was conducted among 66,000 women from 122 countries also reported that 43% of respondents said they experienced some form of worry in 2021, 41% reported feeling stressed, 32% reported feeling sad, and 26% reported feeling angry.

<img alt="stress levels" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c624ecfa-9d20-4379-bb0e-8d9b03cbb08b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4474035_0.jpg" />

“The lack of progress and, in some cases, backward momentum justify an even louder wake-up call for world leaders to do more for women, whose well-being underpins the health of families, communities, societies and economies,” said Hologic president and CEO Steve MacMillan.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-toxic-beauty-standards-and-how-to-overcome-them-518970" hreflang="en">Toxic beauty standards and how to overcome them</a>

The gender gap in emotional health between men and women has also widened within a year, as 39% of men report feeling worried, 39% stressed, 26% sad, and 21% angry.

“A lot of that has to do with traditional roles in terms of caregiving and responsibility for making sure that children are fed and tending to illnesses – even in high-resourced countries,” said Dr Elizabeth Fitelson, director of the women’s program at Columbia University’s psychiatry department. “Many of these burdens still disproportionately fall on women in addition to needing to work and having multiple roles.” 
&nbsp;

Ever since the world got hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, all of us have faced a number of challenges that we weren't expecting to tackle in the pre-COVID era. The challenging times tested us in ways more than one.

Ever since the world got hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, all of us have faced a number of challenges that we weren't expecting to tackle in the pre-COVID era. The challenging times tested us in ways more than one. Many lost their jobs, got relocated, and lost a fortune due to the pandemic's impact. To sum it up, we can say that it was a stressful time for all of us. Now, in one of the largest studies on women’s well-being, it has been found that levels of stress, anxiety, worry, sadness and anger among women worldwide were at a 10-year high in 2021 post-pandemic. According to Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, which conducts an annual survey to provide timely, globally comprehensive data from women's perspectives on their health and wellbeing, worry, stress and anger levels among women rose by 3%, while sadness rose by 6% in 2021 as compared to 2020. The stats are all record highs since the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index began tracking emotional health almost a decade ago. The survey that was conducted among 66,000 women from 122 countries also reported that 43% of respondents said they experienced some form of worry in 2021, 41% reported feeling stressed, 32% reported feeling sad, and 26% reported feeling angry. “The lack of progress and, in some cases, backward momentum justify an even louder wake-up call for world leaders to do more for women, whose well-being underpins the health of families, communities, societies and economies,” said Hologic president and CEO Steve MacMillan. Also read: Toxic beauty standards and how to overcome them The gender gap in emotional health between men and women has also widened within a year, as 39% of men report feeling worried, 39% stressed, 26% sad, and 21% angry. “A lot of that has to do with traditional roles in terms of caregiving and responsibility for making sure that children are fed and tending to illnesses – even in high-resourced countries,” said Dr Elizabeth Fitelson, director of the women’s program at Columbia University’s psychiatry department. “Many of these burdens still disproportionately fall on women in addition to needing to work and having multiple roles.”

Study reveals stress levels in women at a 10-year high post-COVID

Shares of Smith & Wesson slumped about 5% in extended trade on Thursday after the gunmaker posted quarterly results that underscored a drop in consumer demand following a surge two years ago.

Gun demand eases from Pandemic highs

The operator of Dubai International Airport has said the middle east hub could see monthly passenger traffic return to pre-pandemic levels in the other part of the next year.

Dubai airport: Pre-pandemic traffic in 2023

Amidst fresh waves of COVID-19 cases being registered across the world, the World Health Organization's chief has warned that the pandemic is "nowhere near over", calling for more strict surveillance and pushing for vaccine intake.

He made his remarks while citing that the number of new cases worldwide has risen by 30 per cent in the last two weeks.

"New waves of the virus demonstrate again that COVID-19 is nowhere near over," WHO Director-General Tedros told a news conference, adding: "As the virus pushes at us, we must push back."

According to Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, the recent increase in the number of newly reported COVID-19 cases has been largely driven by Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, and by the lifting of public health and social measures.

Recent changes in testing policies have also been hindering the detection of new cases and the monitoring of the evolution of the virus, he said.

Tedros suggested that governments should regularly review and adjust their COVID19 response plans based on the current epidemiology and also the potential for new variants to appear. "Governments should also work to reverse the reduction in surveillance, testing and sequencing, and share anti-virals effectively.”

Europe is at the centre of a new wave of cases driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron sub-variants as people attend large gatherings and resume traveling after two years of staying close to home.

In England, an estimated 2.1 million people, or one in 25, tested positive in the final week of June, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;is worried that even as cases rise again, surveillance of the virus and new potential variants is on the decline.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

&nbsp;

Amidst fresh waves of COVID-19 cases being registered across the world, the World Health Organization's chief has warned that the pandemic is "nowhere near over", calling for more strict surveillance and pushing for vaccine intake.

Amidst fresh waves of COVID-19 cases being registered across the world, the World Health Organization's chief has warned that the pandemic is "nowhere near over", calling for more strict surveillance and pushing for vaccine intake. He made his remarks while citing that the number of new cases worldwide has risen by 30 per cent in the last two weeks. "New waves of the virus demonstrate again that COVID-19 is nowhere near over," WHO Director-General Tedros told a news conference, adding: "As the virus pushes at us, we must push back." According to Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, the recent increase in the number of newly reported COVID-19 cases has been largely driven by Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, and by the lifting of public health and social measures. Recent changes in testing policies have also been hindering the detection of new cases and the monitoring of the evolution of the virus, he said. Tedros suggested that governments should regularly review and adjust their COVID19 response plans based on the current epidemiology and also the potential for new variants to appear. "Governments should also work to reverse the reduction in surveillance, testing and sequencing, and share anti-virals effectively.” Europe is at the centre of a new wave of cases driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron sub-variants as people attend large gatherings and resume traveling after two years of staying close to home. In England, an estimated 2.1 million people, or one in 25, tested positive in the final week of June, according to the Office for National Statistics. The WHO is worried that even as cases rise again, surveillance of the virus and new potential variants is on the decline. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

‘Covid pandemic still not over’, WHO warns as new cases emerge

A new peer review study published in Journal Nature has said that rapidly warming earth has emerged as an opportunity for viruses and increased the probability of future pandemics.

Global warming can spark pandemics : Study

Shanghai is in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak. Residents have locked themselves in their homes, while officegoers are camping on the premises as the financial hub enters second day of a strict lockdown.

On Tuesday, China reported 6,886 domestic Covid cases, with more than 4,400 of them detected in Shanghai, now the centre of the country's worst COVID-19 outbreak since the early days of the pandemic.

The city's airports, railway stations and international shipping ports remain open, while key manufacturers are allowed to resume production after a brief halt, state media reported.

In a bid to keep Shanghai's economy running, authorities replaced the hard lockdowns regularly deployed in other Chinese cities with rolling, localised restrictions.

For example, in Lujiazui district, China's Wall Street, office premises have been allowed to open.

According to Reuters news agency, brokerages, asset managers and financial exchanges called in their important staff to the offices for overnight stays ahead of lockdown in Shanghai on Monday.

Some also adopted two-team rotation shifts, and initiated disaster recovery centres in a financial hub that reportedly processed more than 2,500 trillion yuan ($292 trillion) of financial transactions last year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/2000-covid-infected-children-separated-from-parents-in-a-month-in-hong-kong-report-466588">2,000 Covid infected children separated from parents in a month in Hong Kong: Report</a>

While in n the Pudong District, residents have been barred from walking in the hallways, garages or open areas of their residential compounds in order to reduce the risk of infection.

Ahead of the lockdown, panic buying gripped Shanghai as images showed some supermarket shelves in the city emptied of all goods.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
VIDEO: Empty supermarket shelves in Shanghai after panic buying ahead of phased Covid lockdowns <a href="https://t.co/eSNZAvxVr6">pic.twitter.com/eSNZAvxVr6</a>
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1508586636250124288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“After being unable to grab any groceries this morning, I went back to sleep, and all I dreamt about was buying food at the supermarket,” one user wrote on China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform, reported AFP.

“I’d never have thought that society today would be worried over buying groceries.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/stealth-omicron-ba2-is-now-globally-dominant-covid-variant-466579">'Stealth Omicron': BA.2 is now globally dominant Covid variant</a>

Shanghai, home to 26 million people, started a lockdown on Monday by dividing the city roughly along the Huangpu River, to allow for staggered testing.

Shanghai houses China's biggest markets for stock, bond, foreign exchange and derivatives trading.

The lockdown will last until Friday, then switch to the city’s more populated western Puxi section, home to the historic Bund riverfront.

Watch |&nbsp;Shanghai tightens COVID lockdown: Curbs imposed on highway traffic

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/shanghai-tightens-covid-lockdown-curbs-imposed-on-highway-traffic-466540/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

Shanghai is in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak. Residents have locked themselves in their homes, while officegoers are camping on the premises as the financial hub enters second day of a strict lockdown.

Shanghai is in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak. Residents have locked themselves in their homes, while officegoers are camping on the premises as the financial hub enters second day of a strict lockdown. On Tuesday, China reported 6,886 domestic Covid cases, with more than 4,400 of them detected in Shanghai, now the centre of the country's worst COVID-19 outbreak since the early days of the pandemic. The city's airports, railway stations and international shipping ports remain open, while key manufacturers are allowed to resume production after a brief halt, state media reported. In a bid to keep Shanghai's economy running, authorities replaced the hard lockdowns regularly deployed in other Chinese cities with rolling, localised restrictions. For example, in Lujiazui district, China's Wall Street, office premises have been allowed to open. According to Reuters news agency, brokerages, asset managers and financial exchanges called in their important staff to the offices for overnight stays ahead of lockdown in Shanghai on Monday. Some also adopted two-team rotation shifts, and initiated disaster recovery centres in a financial hub that reportedly processed more than 2,500 trillion yuan ($292 trillion) of financial transactions last year. Also read | 2,000 Covid infected children separated from parents in a month in Hong Kong: Report While in n the Pudong District, residents have been barred from walking in the hallways, garages or open areas of their residential compounds in order to reduce the risk of infection. Ahead of the lockdown, panic buying gripped Shanghai as images showed some supermarket shelves in the city emptied of all goods. VIDEO: Empty supermarket shelves in Shanghai after panic buying ahead of phased Covid lockdowns pic.twitter.com/eSNZAvxVr6 — AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 28, 2022 × “After being unable to grab any groceries this morning, I went back to sleep, and all I dreamt about was buying food at the supermarket,” one user wrote on China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform, reported AFP. “I’d never have thought that society today would be worried over buying groceries.” Also read | 'Stealth Omicron': BA.2 is now globally dominant Covid variant Shanghai, home to 26 million people, started a lockdown on Monday by dividing the city roughly along the Huangpu River, to allow for staggered testing. Shanghai houses China's biggest markets for stock, bond, foreign exchange and derivatives trading. The lockdown will last until Friday, then switch to the city’s more populated western Puxi section, home to the historic Bund riverfront. Watch | Shanghai tightens COVID lockdown: Curbs imposed on highway traffic (With inputs from agencies)

Panic buying, camping in offices: Shanghai under strict lockdown as people brace for fresh Covid outbreak

Scotland is witnessing a resurgent Covid pandemic as a total of 9,533 new cases have been reported in a day.

However, no new deaths were reported on Sunday.

According to local media, the number of&nbsp;people in hospitals with Coronavirus in Scotland&nbsp;has reached its highest total since the start of the pandemic in 2020.

The figures released by the government show that 2,128 patients were admitted to the hospital with the virus on Sunday, a record high, with 31 severely ill in intensive care, the Daily Mirror reported.

Officials from the Scottish Government have warned the number may be even higher&nbsp;as register offices are generally closed at weekends.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/next-covid-variant-may-be-more-dangerous-than-omicron-say-scientists-453061">Next Covid variant may be more dangerous than Omicron, say scientists</a>

The country has been recording a spurt in infections as the government has eased the remaining Covid restrictions.

Last week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that the quick-spreading BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron&nbsp;has become the dominant strain of Coronavirus in Scotland.

She added that the legal requirement to wear face masks in certain public places will continue until at least the start of April after a surge in Covid cases.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-subvariant-omicron-ba2-as-deadly-as-delta-says-expert-what-makes-it-worrisome-455314">Covid subvariant ‘Omicron BA.2’ as deadly as Delta, says expert. What makes it worrisome?</a>

"Given the current spike in case numbers, we consider it prudent to retain this requirement in regulation for a further short period,” she said.

Scotland is not the only country witnessing a rise in cases. Cases of Omicron BA2 have been rising across the European Union (EU) as member nations were lifting restrictions.

(With inputs from agencies)

Scotland is witnessing a resurgent Covid pandemic as a total of 9,533 new cases have been reported in a day. However, no new deaths were reported on Sunday. According to local media, the number of people in hospitals with Coronavirus in Scotland has reached its highest total since the start of the pandemic in 2020.

Scotland is witnessing a resurgent Covid pandemic as a total of 9,533 new cases have been reported in a day. However, no new deaths were reported on Sunday. According to local media, the number of people in hospitals with Coronavirus in Scotland has reached its highest total since the start of the pandemic in 2020. The figures released by the government show that 2,128 patients were admitted to the hospital with the virus on Sunday, a record high, with 31 severely ill in intensive care, the Daily Mirror reported. Officials from the Scottish Government have warned the number may be even higher as register offices are generally closed at weekends. Also read | Next Covid variant may be more dangerous than Omicron, say scientists The country has been recording a spurt in infections as the government has eased the remaining Covid restrictions. Last week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that the quick-spreading BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron has become the dominant strain of Coronavirus in Scotland. She added that the legal requirement to wear face masks in certain public places will continue until at least the start of April after a surge in Covid cases. Also read | Covid subvariant ‘Omicron BA.2’ as deadly as Delta, says expert. What makes it worrisome? "Given the current spike in case numbers, we consider it prudent to retain this requirement in regulation for a further short period,” she said. Scotland is not the only country witnessing a rise in cases. Cases of Omicron BA2 have been rising across the European Union (EU) as member nations were lifting restrictions. (With inputs from agencies)

BA.2 sub-variant driving spurt in Covid numbers in Scotland

According to a new study, Covid pandemic may have been three times deadlier than reported till now. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Around 6 million people have died in the world due to Covid till the end of 2021 as per official reports. But, in a new study, researchers indicate that from the beginning of 2020 till the end of 2021, at least 18 million more deaths have occurred than the researchers would typically expect in the course of two years. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-uk-sees-a-surge-in-cases-for-people-aged-55-and-above-460980" hreflang="en">COVID-19: UK sees a surge in cases for people aged 55 and above</a>

Some of these excess deaths may not have been included in the official figures due to lack of diagnostic or reporting resources. &nbsp;

The other reasons may include behaviour changes during lockdowns, economic turmoil, lack of access to healthcare, etc. There was not enough data to distinguish the cause of death as well.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/breakthrough-in-ageing-reversal-us-scientists-rejuvenate-tissues-in-mice-460254" hreflang="en">Breakthrough in ageing reversal? US scientists rejuvenate tissues in mice</a>

The study found Russia, Brazil, Mexico, the US, Indonesia and Pakistan are among countries that accounted for more than half of all excess deaths in two years. There were more than 1.1 million in the United States.&nbsp;

Haidong Wang, demography specialist, University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, said that excess mortality is "a much more accurate measurement of the true impact of the pandemic" precisely because of the known issues in under-reporting of direct Covid deaths and because of the deadly indirect effects of the pandemic. &nbsp;

The researchers, who were led by Wang, analysed all-cause mortality in 187 countries, with the help of weekly or monthly reported data when available and creating models to estimate for others. The study was published in the journal ‘The Lancet’ on Thursday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

According to a new study, Covid pandemic may have been three times deadlier than reported till now. Around 6 million people have died in the world due to Covid till the end of 2021 as per official reports.

According to a new study, Covid pandemic may have been three times deadlier than reported till now. Around 6 million people have died in the world due to Covid till the end of 2021 as per official reports. But, in a new study, researchers indicate that from the beginning of 2020 till the end of 2021, at least 18 million more deaths have occurred than the researchers would typically expect in the course of two years. Also Read | COVID-19: UK sees a surge in cases for people aged 55 and above Some of these excess deaths may not have been included in the official figures due to lack of diagnostic or reporting resources. The other reasons may include behaviour changes during lockdowns, economic turmoil, lack of access to healthcare, etc. There was not enough data to distinguish the cause of death as well. Also Read: Breakthrough in ageing reversal? US scientists rejuvenate tissues in mice The study found Russia, Brazil, Mexico, the US, Indonesia and Pakistan are among countries that accounted for more than half of all excess deaths in two years. There were more than 1.1 million in the United States. Haidong Wang, demography specialist, University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, said that excess mortality is "a much more accurate measurement of the true impact of the pandemic" precisely because of the known issues in under-reporting of direct Covid deaths and because of the deadly indirect effects of the pandemic. The researchers, who were led by Wang, analysed all-cause mortality in 187 countries, with the help of weekly or monthly reported data when available and creating models to estimate for others. The study was published in the journal ‘The Lancet’ on Thursday. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid pandemic death toll may be thrice than reported, claims study

Despite soaring cases and hospitalizations in the Biden administration is under pressure to focus on ways in which the country can learn to live with covid-19 as a manageable virus. Amid that conversation, a senate hearing on the pandemic turned explosive after the Republicans attempted to use the public hearing to attack White House chief medical advisor Dr Anthony Fauci.

Heated exchange between Dr Fauci and Senator Paul over covid pandemic in United States

Global auto sector is struggling to cope with impact of COVID pandemic on global supply chains, British car manufacturers had their slowest November in 37 years as the sector struggled to cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on global supply chains, industry data showed on Thursday.

British car manufacturers face slowest November in 37 years

When the pandemic hit the United States, there were calls for priorities to be reset and to prioritize public health. A new report reveals that pandemic had not impact on the global arms industry, in fact, it only flourished.

Covid pandemic didn't dent global arms sale, industry grew by 1.3% in 2020

Americans everywhere remain concerned about getting past what feels like a never-ending litany of Covid-19-induced economic problems, from out-of-stock products to inflation and continued fears of exposure to illness when going out. When will it finally end?

Professional economic forecasters are struggling to answer this question.

Many are turning to previous recessions as a guide to how things will go. But one of the most important things to understand is that while the pandemic created a collapse — and for some even an economic disaster — it really wasn’t a recession in the normal sense.

That sounds strange. Indeed, the arbiter of these things, the National Bureau of Economic Research, declared that the United States had a two-month recession in March and April 2020.

But past business cycles look nothing like what the United States has gone through in the pandemic, so they are the wrong place to find lessons for where things are going now.

The causes of recessions vary, but they follow a basic pattern: The hardest-hit industries are the cyclically sensitive sectors where demand dries up. Those sectors include sales of big-ticket items like furniture, construction materials, appliances and cars, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and others have documented. These are purchases that can be delayed when times are bad. Recoveries begin when demand returns to these cyclical industries, when prices fall enough or interest rates get cut enough or pent-up needs build sufficiently for demand to return.

Recessions have much smaller impacts on noncyclical industries like hospitals, nursing care, gas and electric utilities, and the like. Demand there is steady regardless of the cycle. Some service sector industries, like education, see demand rise in recessions.

None of these familiar patterns held during the pandemic economic collapse. Spending on consumer durables went up. Indeed, sales of TVs with screens larger than 65 inches rose 77 percent from April to June 2020, compared to the year before, as the bottom dropped out of the economy. Watching TV was one of the few things people could still do during lockdown. Demand for other cyclical industry goods like housing and construction materials boomed too.

During the pandemic downturn, Americans also reversed a decades-long trend toward spending on services rather than goods. For 75 years, consumers in the United States have been spending less and less of their money on physical goods (from 60 percent of spending in the 1940s to 31 percent in 2019). Counter to this trend (and contrasting with previous recessions), the share of consumer spending on physical goods actually jumped during the pandemic to the highest level in 17 years and among the biggest jumps ever recorded.

In other words, this was a recession like no other in recent memory. The pandemic downturn was driven by all those industries that are supposed to be recession-proof — trips to the dentist, electricity usage in offices and malls, and so on. And the normally countercyclical education sector had big enrollment drops despite the bad economy.

Of course, this was because of the coronavirus. But it means that the recovery from past recessions doesn’t really say much about how the recovery will go now. Everyone is trying to predict when there will be a rebound in service sector industries that normally don’t decline, like health care, child care and education. That’s really more of a question about how quickly we can control the spread of the virus than it is about recession fundamentals.

At the same time, the unusually large demand for physical goods in the United States and other rich countries has exceeded supply, driving up inflation and leading to shortages.

So the most important thing to watch if you want to understand the economy is, as has been the case for a year and half now, the progress made against the virus. Related, and also worth watching, is how much Americans spend on goods relative to services. (It was 31 percent in 2019 and has risen to 35 percent now.)

While economic growth in the United States was disappointing in the third quarter of 2021, it could easily turn around if coronavirus case numbers improve. The U.S. employment numbers released on Friday were encouraging. New Covid-19 cases are down significantly and millions of children are now eligible for vaccination, which could reduce infection rates even further.

Looking beyond the coming months, though, the most interesting questions aren’t really about recession and recovery. They center on whether any of the pandemic changes will last. Some companies, for example, are now trying to hold more inventory and keep their supply chains local to avoid disruption. Many people are working partly from home and some have moved to the exurbs. But how long before they rediscover why we ended up with lean manufacturing and a global supply chain in the first place? And Americans are already moving back to cities.

My view is that reversals of longstanding economic trends are not likely to become permanent. Once the economic memory of the pandemic has faded, the old lessons from the regular business cycle will probably become relevant once more. Until that happens, though, best to get in line for a vaccine booster and keep your eye on the case numbers.

Americans everywhere remain concerned about getting past what feels like a never-ending litany of Covid-19-induced economic problems, from out-of-stock products to inflation and continued fears of exposure to illness when going out.

Americans everywhere remain concerned about getting past what feels like a never-ending litany of Covid-19-induced economic problems, from out-of-stock products to inflation and continued fears of exposure to illness when going out. When will it finally end? Professional economic forecasters are struggling to answer this question. Many are turning to previous recessions as a guide to how things will go. But one of the most important things to understand is that while the pandemic created a collapse — and for some even an economic disaster — it really wasn’t a recession in the normal sense. That sounds strange. Indeed, the arbiter of these things, the National Bureau of Economic Research, declared that the United States had a two-month recession in March and April 2020. But past business cycles look nothing like what the United States has gone through in the pandemic, so they are the wrong place to find lessons for where things are going now. The causes of recessions vary, but they follow a basic pattern: The hardest-hit industries are the cyclically sensitive sectors where demand dries up. Those sectors include sales of big-ticket items like furniture, construction materials, appliances and cars, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and others have documented. These are purchases that can be delayed when times are bad. Recoveries begin when demand returns to these cyclical industries, when prices fall enough or interest rates get cut enough or pent-up needs build sufficiently for demand to return. Recessions have much smaller impacts on noncyclical industries like hospitals, nursing care, gas and electric utilities, and the like. Demand there is steady regardless of the cycle. Some service sector industries, like education, see demand rise in recessions. None of these familiar patterns held during the pandemic economic collapse. Spending on consumer durables went up. Indeed, sales of TVs with screens larger than 65 inches rose 77 percent from April to June 2020, compared to the year before, as the bottom dropped out of the economy. Watching TV was one of the few things people could still do during lockdown. Demand for other cyclical industry goods like housing and construction materials boomed too. During the pandemic downturn, Americans also reversed a decades-long trend toward spending on services rather than goods. For 75 years, consumers in the United States have been spending less and less of their money on physical goods (from 60 percent of spending in the 1940s to 31 percent in 2019). Counter to this trend (and contrasting with previous recessions), the share of consumer spending on physical goods actually jumped during the pandemic to the highest level in 17 years and among the biggest jumps ever recorded. In other words, this was a recession like no other in recent memory. The pandemic downturn was driven by all those industries that are supposed to be recession-proof — trips to the dentist, electricity usage in offices and malls, and so on. And the normally countercyclical education sector had big enrollment drops despite the bad economy. Of course, this was because of the coronavirus. But it means that the recovery from past recessions doesn’t really say much about how the recovery will go now. Everyone is trying to predict when there will be a rebound in service sector industries that normally don’t decline, like health care, child care and education. That’s really more of a question about how quickly we can control the spread of the virus than it is about recession fundamentals. At the same time, the unusually large demand for physical goods in the United States and other rich countries has exceeded supply, driving up inflation and leading to shortages. So the most important thing to watch if you want to understand the economy is, as has been the case for a year and half now, the progress made against the virus. Related, and also worth watching, is how much Americans spend on goods relative to services. (It was 31 percent in 2019 and has risen to 35 percent now.) While economic growth in the United States was disappointing in the third quarter of 2021, it could easily turn around if coronavirus case numbers improve. The U.S. employment numbers released on Friday were encouraging. New Covid-19 cases are down significantly and millions of children are now eligible for vaccination, which could reduce infection rates even further. Looking beyond the coming months, though, the most interesting questions aren’t really about recession and recovery. They center on whether any of the pandemic changes will last. Some companies, for example, are now trying to hold more inventory and keep their supply chains local to avoid disruption. Many people are working partly from home and some have moved to the exurbs. But how long before they rediscover why we ended up with lean manufacturing and a global supply chain in the first place? And Americans are already moving back to cities. My view is that reversals of longstanding economic trends are not likely to become permanent. Once the economic memory of the pandemic has faded, the old lessons from the regular business cycle will probably become relevant once more. Until that happens, though, best to get in line for a vaccine booster and keep your eye on the case numbers.

How to think about the Covid recession

COVID-19 is expected to transition to an endemic disease in 2022 and beyond. As the Delta variant surge eases in many regions around the world, scientists have begun charting the virus's transition from a pandemic to an endemic.

According to scientists, the first countries to emerge from the pandemic will likely have combined high vaccination rates with natural immunity among those who had previously contracted Coronavirus.&nbsp;

They predict that countries like the United States, the UK, Portugal, and India will be the first to recover from the pandemic.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-origins-china-says-us-report-without-credibility-intelligence-services-known-for-fraud-and-deception-426094" hreflang="en">Covid origins: China says US report without credibility, intelligence services known for 'fraud and deception'</a>

However, researchers warn that SARS-CoV-2 is an unpredictable virus that is constantly evolving as it spreads among unvaccinated populations. The possibility of the virus mutating to such an extent that it surpasses hard-won immunity has not been completely ruled out, and there is still the risk of a "doomsday scenario".

They have, however, expressed increasing confidence that many countries will have put the worst of the pandemic behind them in the coming year.

"We think between now and the&nbsp;end&nbsp;of 2022, this is the point where we get control over this virus...where we can significantly reduce severe disease and death," Maria Van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist leading the World Health Organization's (WHO)&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;response.

The agency's assessment is based on the work of disease experts who are determining the likely course of the pandemic over the next 18 months.&nbsp;The WHO aims to have 70% of the world's population vaccinated by the end of 2022.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-vaccine-for-children-us-gives-final-nod-to-pfizer-jabs-for-5-11-age-group-426324" hreflang="en">COVID-19 vaccine for children: US gives final nod to Pfizer jabs for 5-11 age group</a>

&nbsp;"If we reach that target, we will be in a very, very different situation epidemiologically," says Van Kerkhove.

Meanwhile, she expressed concern over countries lifting COVID precautions prematurely. "It's amazing to me to be seeing, you know, people out on the streets, as if everything is over."

"Endemic does not mean benign," she added.

The WHO reported on Oct. 26 that COVID-19 cases and deaths are declining in nearly every region of the world since August.

A notable exception is Europe, where the Delta variant has caused havoc in countries like Russia and Romania with low vaccination rates as well as places that have liberalized mask requirements.&nbsp;

In addition, the variant continues to contribute to the rising number of infections in countries such as Singapore and China, which have high vaccination rates but little natural immunity because of much stricter lockdown measures.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-may-never-know-how-covid-19-originated-say-us-intelligence-officials-425224" hreflang="en">We may never know how COVID-19 originated, say US intelligence officials</a>

However, it appears that vaccines are keeping people from hospitalisation, even in countries like the UK where cases are on the rise following the lifting of pandemic restrictions.

As with other endemic diseases such as malaria, COVID-19 is expected to continue contributing to illness and death for many years to come.

Experts predict that the virus will eventually behave like measles, which still causes outbreaks in areas with low vaccination rates.

Some see COVID-19 as behaving more like a seasonal respiratory infection like influenza. Others believe it could become a less-lethal virus, affecting mostly children, but that could take decades.

Trevor Bedford, a computational virologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center who has been tracking the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, sees a milder winter wave in the United States followed by a transition to&nbsp;endemic disease in 2022-2023. He is projecting 50,000 to 100,000 U.S.&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;deaths a year, on top of an estimated 30,000 annual deaths from flu.

The virus will likely continue to mutate, requiring annual booster shots tailored to the latest circulating variants, Bedford said.

Watch |&nbsp;New locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases spike to three-month high in China

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/new-locally-transmitted-covid-19-cases-spike-to-three-month-high-in-china-426367/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Richard Hatchett, the CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, says that the world remains vulnerable since some countries have good vaccine programs and others have almost none.

&nbsp;"What keeps me up at night about&nbsp;COVID&nbsp;is the concern that we could have a variant emerge that evades our vaccines and evades immunity from prior infection,” Hatchett said.

“That would be like a&nbsp;new&nbsp;COVID&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;emerging even while we're still in the old one."&nbsp;

COVID-19 is expected to transition to an endemic disease in 2022 and beyond. As the Delta variant surge eases in many regions around the world, scientists have begun charting the virus's transition from a pandemic to an endemic.

COVID-19 is expected to transition to an endemic disease in 2022 and beyond. As the Delta variant surge eases in many regions around the world, scientists have begun charting the virus's transition from a pandemic to an endemic. According to scientists, the first countries to emerge from the pandemic will likely have combined high vaccination rates with natural immunity among those who had previously contracted Coronavirus. They predict that countries like the United States, the UK, Portugal, and India will be the first to recover from the pandemic. Also read | Covid origins: China says US report without credibility, intelligence services known for 'fraud and deception' However, researchers warn that SARS-CoV-2 is an unpredictable virus that is constantly evolving as it spreads among unvaccinated populations. The possibility of the virus mutating to such an extent that it surpasses hard-won immunity has not been completely ruled out, and there is still the risk of a "doomsday scenario". They have, however, expressed increasing confidence that many countries will have put the worst of the pandemic behind them in the coming year. "We think between now and the end of 2022, this is the point where we get control over this virus...where we can significantly reduce severe disease and death," Maria Van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist leading the World Health Organization's (WHO) COVID-19 response. The agency's assessment is based on the work of disease experts who are determining the likely course of the pandemic over the next 18 months. The WHO aims to have 70% of the world's population vaccinated by the end of 2022. Also read | COVID-19 vaccine for children: US gives final nod to Pfizer jabs for 5-11 age group "If we reach that target, we will be in a very, very different situation epidemiologically," says Van Kerkhove. Meanwhile, she expressed concern over countries lifting COVID precautions prematurely. "It's amazing to me to be seeing, you know, people out on the streets, as if everything is over." "Endemic does not mean benign," she added. The WHO reported on Oct. 26 that COVID-19 cases and deaths are declining in nearly every region of the world since August. A notable exception is Europe, where the Delta variant has caused havoc in countries like Russia and Romania with low vaccination rates as well as places that have liberalized mask requirements. In addition, the variant continues to contribute to the rising number of infections in countries such as Singapore and China, which have high vaccination rates but little natural immunity because of much stricter lockdown measures. Also read | We may never know how COVID-19 originated, say US intelligence officials However, it appears that vaccines are keeping people from hospitalisation, even in countries like the UK where cases are on the rise following the lifting of pandemic restrictions. As with other endemic diseases such as malaria, COVID-19 is expected to continue contributing to illness and death for many years to come. Experts predict that the virus will eventually behave like measles, which still causes outbreaks in areas with low vaccination rates. Some see COVID-19 as behaving more like a seasonal respiratory infection like influenza. Others believe it could become a less-lethal virus, affecting mostly children, but that could take decades. Trevor Bedford, a computational virologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center who has been tracking the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, sees a milder winter wave in the United States followed by a transition to endemic disease in 2022-2023. He is projecting 50,000 to 100,000 U.S. COVID-19 deaths a year, on top of an estimated 30,000 annual deaths from flu. The virus will likely continue to mutate, requiring annual booster shots tailored to the latest circulating variants, Bedford said. Watch | New locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases spike to three-month high in China Richard Hatchett, the CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, says that the world remains vulnerable since some countries have good vaccine programs and others have almost none. "What keeps me up at night about COVID is the concern that we could have a variant emerge that evades our vaccines and evades immunity from prior infection,” Hatchett said. “That would be like a new COVID pandemic emerging even while we're still in the old one."

Is a new Covid pandemic emerging or is it an endemic now? Experts answer

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the Covid pandemic will “easily drag on deep into 2022” because poorer countries are not getting the required vaccines.

Less than 5 per cent of Africa’s population have been vaccinated, compared to 40% on most other continents.

Aylward asked the developed countries to give up their places in the queue for vaccines so that pharmaceutical companies can prioritise the lowest-income countries instead.

He said wealthy countries needed to “stocktake” where they were with their donation commitments made at summits such as the G7 meeting in St Ives this summer.

"I can tell you we're not on track. We really need to speed it up or you know what? This pandemic is going to go on for a year longer than it needs to,” BBC quoted Aylward as saying.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-crosses-historic-one-billion-covid-19-vaccine-milestone-422530">&nbsp;India crosses historic one billion COVID-19 vaccine milestone</a>

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 4.6 million people and infected over 228 million people globally, has exposed glaring inequalities among nations over vaccine access and affordability.

Watch

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/covid-update-uk-43000-people-were-issued-false-negative-covid-19-results-421364/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to WHO research, enough vaccines will be produced in 2021 to cover 70 per cent of the global population of 7.8 billion. However, most vaccines are being reserved for wealthy countries, while other vaccine-producing countries are restricting the export of doses so they can ensure that their own citizens get vaccinated first, an approach which has been dubbed “vaccine nationalism”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fda-approves-mix-and-match-strategy-for-all-covid-19-vaccines-approved-in-us-422505">FDA approves 'mix and match' strategy for all COVID-19 vaccines approved in US</a>

The decision by some nations to give already inoculated citizens a booster vaccine, rather than prioritizing doses for unvaccinated people in poorer countries has been highlighted as one example of this trend.

According to the Global Dashboard for Vaccine Equity (established by UNDP, WHO and Oxford University) as of October 20, only 4.51 per cent of people in low-income countries have been vaccinated with at least one dose, compared to 62.79 per cent in high-income countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the Covid pandemic will “easily drag on deep into 2022” because poorer countries are not getting the required vaccines.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the Covid pandemic will “easily drag on deep into 2022” because poorer countries are not getting the required vaccines. Less than 5 per cent of Africa’s population have been vaccinated, compared to 40% on most other continents. Aylward asked the developed countries to give up their places in the queue for vaccines so that pharmaceutical companies can prioritise the lowest-income countries instead. He said wealthy countries needed to “stocktake” where they were with their donation commitments made at summits such as the G7 meeting in St Ives this summer. "I can tell you we're not on track. We really need to speed it up or you know what? This pandemic is going to go on for a year longer than it needs to,” BBC quoted Aylward as saying. Also read | India crosses historic one billion COVID-19 vaccine milestone The COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 4.6 million people and infected over 228 million people globally, has exposed glaring inequalities among nations over vaccine access and affordability. Watch According to WHO research, enough vaccines will be produced in 2021 to cover 70 per cent of the global population of 7.8 billion. However, most vaccines are being reserved for wealthy countries, while other vaccine-producing countries are restricting the export of doses so they can ensure that their own citizens get vaccinated first, an approach which has been dubbed “vaccine nationalism”. Also read | FDA approves 'mix and match' strategy for all COVID-19 vaccines approved in US The decision by some nations to give already inoculated citizens a booster vaccine, rather than prioritizing doses for unvaccinated people in poorer countries has been highlighted as one example of this trend. According to the Global Dashboard for Vaccine Equity (established by UNDP, WHO and Oxford University) as of October 20, only 4.51 per cent of people in low-income countries have been vaccinated with at least one dose, compared to 62.79 per cent in high-income countries. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid pandemic will easily drag on deep into 2022, warns WHO

Finance ministers of the group of 20 economies have pledged to keep economic stimulus policies in place. This is to ensure recovery from the covid-19 pandemic.

Finance ministers of G20 economies pledge to keep economic stimulus policies in place

The Biden administration has decided to reopen land borders with Canada & Mexico from next month for fully vaccinated people. This ends a 19-month freeze on non-essential travel caused by the covid-19 pandemic.

Biden administration decides to reopen land borders

India's economy, which contracted due to the covid pandemic, is expected to grow by 9.5% in 2021, and 8.5% in 2022, according to latest projections released by the international monetary fund.

India's economy expected to grow by 9.5% in 2021

Polling stations have opened in Iraq for elections that come at a time when the country faces enormous challenges. The country's economy has been struggling due to years of conflict, corruption and the COVID pandemic.

Polling stations open in Iraq for elections amid enormous challenges

In what can be called a positive signal from major Covid vaccine makers, CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna said that they anticipate a return to normal life within a year.

"I agree that, within a year, I think we will be able to come back to normal life," said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla on ABC new network's "This Week."

He added that he did not think that coronavirus variants won't exist or that vaccines won't be needed. He said that &nbsp;"most likely scenario" new variants will be observed and vaccines that would last "at least a year" would be developed.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cant-go-unvaccinated-president-biden-gets-vaccine-booster-shot-416490">'Can't go unvaccinated': President Biden gets vaccine booster shot</a>

"I think the most likely scenario is annual revaccination, but we don't know really. We need to wait and see the data," Bourla said.

Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel echoed Bourla's thoughts in his conversation with Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung last week. He said "enough doses should be available by the middle of next year so that everyone on this earth can be vaccinated.”

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/every-day-is-frightening-working-for-the-top-us-employer-amid-covid-416476">‘Every day is frightening’: Working for the top US employer amid Covid</a>

These remarks from the CEOs have come after US Food and Drug Administration's decision to recommend third dose (booster) of Covid vaccine for people aged 65 and above and also for those having compromised immune system.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-delta-outbreak-ravages-us-cdc-chief-says-health-systems-in-dire-straits-416419">As delta outbreak ravages US, CDC chief says health systems ‘in dire straits'</a>

Rochelle Walensky, Director of Center for Disease Control and Prevention has said last week that boosters would also be available for people in high-risk environments such as healthcare workers.

In what can be called a positive signal from major Covid vaccine makers, CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna said that they anticipate a return to normal life within a year.

In what can be called a positive signal from major Covid vaccine makers, CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna said that they anticipate a return to normal life within a year. "I agree that, within a year, I think we will be able to come back to normal life," said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla on ABC new network's "This Week." He added that he did not think that coronavirus variants won't exist or that vaccines won't be needed. He said that "most likely scenario" new variants will be observed and vaccines that would last "at least a year" would be developed. Also Read | 'Can't go unvaccinated': President Biden gets vaccine booster shot "I think the most likely scenario is annual revaccination, but we don't know really. We need to wait and see the data," Bourla said. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel echoed Bourla's thoughts in his conversation with Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung last week. He said "enough doses should be available by the middle of next year so that everyone on this earth can be vaccinated.” Also Read | ‘Every day is frightening’: Working for the top US employer amid Covid These remarks from the CEOs have come after US Food and Drug Administration's decision to recommend third dose (booster) of Covid vaccine for people aged 65 and above and also for those having compromised immune system. Also Read | As delta outbreak ravages US, CDC chief says health systems ‘in dire straits' Rochelle Walensky, Director of Center for Disease Control and Prevention has said last week that boosters would also be available for people in high-risk environments such as healthcare workers.

Covid pandemic: CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna say life will be back to normal in a year

The famous bull-running festival has resumed after the COVID pandemic in Spain. No one was injured duringthe carnival.

Spain resumes famous bull-running festival after the COVID pandemic

Malaysia’s king is set to meet the heads of political parties to find a new Prime Minister amid a worsening coronavirus pandemic in the country. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had resigned after mounting public anger over his government’s poor handling of the pandemic.

Malaysia's king to meet heads of political parties to find a new Prime Minister for country

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit us thousands of businesses were thrown into chaos. The disruption was massive. But big tech has grown bigger. Apple revealed that it earned 21.7 billion dollars in last 3 months. Other big techs are having an amazing time as well.

Big tech grows bigger during pandemic times, Apple earns 21.7 billion dollars in 3 months

Losing a loved one has taken a financial toll in South Africa as dying has become costlier than living. Death has become a business for people and companies are selling burial insurance amid COVID.

High costs of burial takes a toll in South Africa

The European Union's envoy to Delhi Ugo Astuto, in an exclusive interaction with WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibbal said that "team Europe" was giving a robust response to India's needs amid coronavirus pandemic.

"Team Europe is coming together to offer its support to India in its difficult moment, just like India supported the rest of the world for the past few months exporting vaccines worldwide," said Astuto.

He lauded India's outreach on vaccines earlier this year, saying, "India has actually led the way in donating vaccines in the region and beyond and setting examples of what global solidarity means".

Here is the full interview.

WION: How is EU assisting India in dealing with the crisis?

Ambassador Ugo Astuto: The European Union as a team Europe is coming together to offer its support to India in its difficult moment, just like India supported the rest of the world for the past few months exporting vaccines worldwide.&nbsp;

There has been a conversation with Indian authorities about how best we can help and as a result of this conversation, we have activated the civil protection mechanism. Its a mechanism, which ensures the rapid deployment of emergency support, a direct link for the national civil protection authorities of the 27 member states.

Through this mechanism we can coordinate the response and we can also help in logistics and transport. The response has been very substantial, indeed. Last night we had deliveries from Romania and Ireland landing in Delhi. From Dublin, we had 700 Oxygen concentrators being brought in, one Oxygen generator, 365 ventilators.&nbsp; 
From Bucharest, 80 Oxygen concentrators and 75 Oxygen cylinders.&nbsp;

We expect on Sunday, another plane to land from Belgium and bring in 9000 doses of antiviral medicine Remdesivir.&nbsp;

As we speak, other member states are joining in.&nbsp;

Just to give you an idea,&nbsp;

68 ventilators from Luxembourg, 5500 vials of Remdesivir from Portugal, 120 ventilators from Sweden, 8 Oxygen generators, liquid Oxygen, and 28 ventilators from France, one Oxygen generating plant, 20 ventilators from Italy, 318 Oxygen cylinders from Finland, 5500 vials of Remdesivir, 238 Oxygen cylinders from Austria, &nbsp;Oxygen concentrators from Germany have already arrived in Delhi. Waiting for more from Germany. More support is expected from other member states like Netherlands, Estonia, Poland, and more. As you can see a very robust response from team Europe. The whole of the European Union trying to extend some help.

WION: India needs tankers for Oxygen and other related stuff, how is the EU helping? Also, any support for vaccines? India is trying to get vaccines from other countries?

Ambassador Ugo Astuto: At this stage focus of our support is on Oxygen. We had an exchange with the Indian authorities, who suggest we should focus on Oxygen and some antiviral medicines, that is what we are doing now. That is what we are focusing on. From the list earlier, most of the supplies being delivered now are Oxygen and Oxygen-related material and antiviral medicines. That is what we are doing now.&nbsp;

From the list, I read earlier, you will read most of the supplies being delivered now are about Oxygen and Oxygen related material, ventilators and antiviral medicines, following the contacts with the Indian authorities. &nbsp;

WION: How has the EU in the past assisted the world community in dealing with such a crisis--with a focus on Covid?&nbsp;

Ambassador Ugo Astuto: Yes, this mechanism, the European Civil Protection Mechanism, is made precisely for that, to face and address the emergency situation in Europe and beyond and it has been activated a number of times, since its inception.&nbsp;

When it comes specifically to Covid infection, from the outset European Union just like India has been on the path of global cooperation in the fight against the Pandemic, and Covid 19 has shown this sort of crisis knows no border.&nbsp;

An effective response requires global co-operation and mutual support. We are facing this epidemic together and we will only get out of it together. That is why we have launched a team Europe approach when it comes to Covid.&nbsp;

We have provided medical equipment and medicines to a number of partners around the world, particularly low-income countries in Africa for a total of almost 38.5 billion Euros. On vaccines, specifically, European Union is committed that everyone who needs vaccines gets it, irrespective of where he or she lives. That is why European Union and its member states are leading voices in the establishment of this COVAX facility, I am sure you are familiar with it.&nbsp;

COVAX is a facility in order to supply vaccines to those who need them. Team Europe, European Union's member states, European Investment Bank together are among the largest donors to this facility. I don't have to remind, that India is playing a key role in the COVAX facility in the manufacturing of vaccines which has then been exported.&nbsp;

India has actually led the way in donating vaccines in the region and beyond and setting examples of what global solidarity means. Clearly, this is also contingent on domestic needs. It is true for India, it's true for the EU as well. The initial assumption is we want to be open to the needs of the global community. For the European Union, for instance, almost as many vaccines which has been injected into EU citizens have been exported so far. Between January and April, more than 110 million doses of vaccines have been exported from the European Union to more than 40 countries. This is another area where the EU and India have been working based on the same human-centric values.

WION: The India, EU leaders virtual summit will take place on 8th May. What will be the key focus at the summit?&nbsp;

Ambassador Ugo Astuto: The latest meeting is happening in the backdrop of the global health crisis, so the reaction to the Covid crisis will obviously be paramount. But, besides that, the strategic partnership between European Union and India has been growing vigorously in the last couple of years.&nbsp;

At the last summit, in July 2020 we decided to further broaden the scope and areas of cooperation. We want to defend multilateralism, combat climate change, to foster the greening of our economic models. We want to undertake digital transition in a manner that is consistent with our democratic values.&nbsp;

We want to foster connectivity to cooperate on political and security issues. So we set up what we call a road up to 2025, guiding us. The next summit, I am sure will inject further momentum into all these topics of interest.&nbsp;

For instance, we are working now on preparing a new India connectivity partnership because we share the same principles that underpin--we want connectivity to be environmentally, socially, and physically sustainable. We both recognize the role of the private sector. We want to give the right incentive to come in and build infrastructure in a sustainable manner, in a transparent, inclusive, and rules-based manner.&nbsp;

So I think, on these things EU and India are natural partners, for bringing forward the development of a shared vision of connectivity. Another major priority I have to mention is the fight against climate change, in the run-up to COP26 which will take place in Glasgow, India has achieved a very significant result to the greening of its economic model, particularly on renewables--investment in solar has been very impressive with significant result.&nbsp;

I believe India is a trendsetter. So much scope for exchanging experiences. Science tells us, as an international community we all need to work together and be ambitious, we want to address the existential issue of climate change, temperatures are still rising, we need to act now for the sake of future generations and we need to make Glasgow a success. Here I think the EU and India have much scope to work together to make Glasgow a success and other priorities I would like to highlight the digital transition. As open societies and democracies, the EU and India can work together to make sure that the digital transition takes place in a secure place, fostering innovation and competition but also full respect to individual rights and freedom.&nbsp;

Issues such as data protection, experience with GDPR, or security of networks, all these are relevant issues. Naming a few, there are many other topics like trade and investment, research innovation, there are so many. Lots of cooperation between India and the EU.

WION: EU is pushing India on net neutrality. What has the EU offering for achieving it? Technology? Finance? How can a country like India develop a roadmap without clarity on technology and finance?

Ambassador Ugo Astuto: What we trying to do in Europe is to develop a model for digital transition which is underpinned by democratic values and which meets the need of the citizen. It must be human-centric, it's not the platforms, it's not about the needs of the state, it's mostly about citizens and its needs.&nbsp;

That is why we are undertaking the digital transition because we want to make the lives of citizens easier. We want to protect freedom of expression, offline and online. I think, in this respect the challenge we face as the European Union is very similar to the challenges which India faces. We both are democracies and open societies and I believe that we are facing the same issues and in all likelihood, we can work together to foster convergences when it comes to the regulatory framework.

WION: European Council approves conclusions on EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy. What do your Indo-Pacific guidelines mean for India?

Ambassador Ugo Astuto: I am sure your have read the approval of the council conclusion on the Indo-Pacific. The council conclusion sets the ground for the approval of a new strategy for the Indo-Pacific which will be issued in the coming months.&nbsp;

Now the basic starting point is the European Union is a stakeholder when it comes to the prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific.

Indo-Pacific is a region that has tremendous importance for the world, its a center of economic development, its a center of innovation, in a large part, the very future of the world will be decided in the Indo-Pacific.&nbsp; 
European Union has an important stake, and we want to offer a contribution. A contribution which is underpinned by our strong belief in multilateralism, in a cooperative approach to international relations, respect for International Law, including The Law of the Seas.&nbsp;

These principles, bring us naturally close to India and its own endeavor to make the Indo pacific region of peace and prosperity. I think the council conclusion and the strategy will help us in identifying additional common converging interest in the region against the risk of instability and in order to foster our common view of a prosperous future for the region.

WION: How do you see the situation in Afghanistan? How EU and India can play a vital role?

Ambassador Ugo Astuto: You see, India and the EU have a natural convergence of view when it comes to Afghanistan because our major point is gains of the last 20 years, are not lost, in terms of democratic rights, human rights, women's rights.&nbsp;

We want a peace process that is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, this is our priority and we have no other interest-- the prosperity, and welfare of Afghanistan.&nbsp;

We are following developments with this in mind that the framework, the democratic rights, the gains of in terms of rights of women and girls which have been gained in past few years are preserved and are not lost and that road to peace, its a road which is also consolidating the present democratic rights.

The European Union's envoy to Delhi Ugo Astuto, in an exclusive interaction with WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibbal said that "team Europe" was giving a robust response to India's needs amid coronavirus pandemic.

The European Union's envoy to Delhi Ugo Astuto, in an exclusive interaction with WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibbal said that "team Europe" was giving a robust response to India's needs amid coronavirus pandemic. "Team Europe is coming together to offer its support to India in its difficult moment, just like India supported the rest of the world for the past few months exporting vaccines worldwide," said Astuto. He lauded India's outreach on vaccines earlier this year, saying, "India has actually led the way in donating vaccines in the region and beyond and setting examples of what global solidarity means". Here is the full interview. WION: How is EU assisting India in dealing with the crisis? Ambassador Ugo Astuto: The European Union as a team Europe is coming together to offer its support to India in its difficult moment, just like India supported the rest of the world for the past few months exporting vaccines worldwide. There has been a conversation with Indian authorities about how best we can help and as a result of this conversation, we have activated the civil protection mechanism. Its a mechanism, which ensures the rapid deployment of emergency support, a direct link for the national civil protection authorities of the 27 member states. Through this mechanism we can coordinate the response and we can also help in logistics and transport. The response has been very substantial, indeed. Last night we had deliveries from Romania and Ireland landing in Delhi. From Dublin, we had 700 Oxygen concentrators being brought in, one Oxygen generator, 365 ventilators. From Bucharest, 80 Oxygen concentrators and 75 Oxygen cylinders. We expect on Sunday, another plane to land from Belgium and bring in 9000 doses of antiviral medicine Remdesivir. As we speak, other member states are joining in. Just to give you an idea, 68 ventilators from Luxembourg, 5500 vials of Remdesivir from Portugal, 120 ventilators from Sweden, 8 Oxygen generators, liquid Oxygen, and 28 ventilators from France, one Oxygen generating plant, 20 ventilators from Italy, 318 Oxygen cylinders from Finland, 5500 vials of Remdesivir, 238 Oxygen cylinders from Austria, Oxygen concentrators from Germany have already arrived in Delhi. Waiting for more from Germany. More support is expected from other member states like Netherlands, Estonia, Poland, and more. As you can see a very robust response from team Europe. The whole of the European Union trying to extend some help. WION: India needs tankers for Oxygen and other related stuff, how is the EU helping? Also, any support for vaccines? India is trying to get vaccines from other countries? Ambassador Ugo Astuto: At this stage focus of our support is on Oxygen. We had an exchange with the Indian authorities, who suggest we should focus on Oxygen and some antiviral medicines, that is what we are doing now. That is what we are focusing on. From the list earlier, most of the supplies being delivered now are Oxygen and Oxygen-related material and antiviral medicines. That is what we are doing now. From the list, I read earlier, you will read most of the supplies being delivered now are about Oxygen and Oxygen related material, ventilators and antiviral medicines, following the contacts with the Indian authorities. WION: How has the EU in the past assisted the world community in dealing with such a crisis--with a focus on Covid? Ambassador Ugo Astuto: Yes, this mechanism, the European Civil Protection Mechanism, is made precisely for that, to face and address the emergency situation in Europe and beyond and it has been activated a number of times, since its inception. When it comes specifically to Covid infection, from the outset European Union just like India has been on the path of global cooperation in the fight against the Pandemic, and Covid 19 has shown this sort of crisis knows no border. An effective response requires global co-operation and mutual support. We are facing this epidemic together and we will only get out of it together. That is why we have launched a team Europe approach when it comes to Covid. We have provided medical equipment and medicines to a number of partners around the world, particularly low-income countries in Africa for a total of almost 38.5 billion Euros. On vaccines, specifically, European Union is committed that everyone who needs vaccines gets it, irrespective of where he or she lives. That is why European Union and its member states are leading voices in the establishment of this COVAX facility, I am sure you are familiar with it. COVAX is a facility in order to supply vaccines to those who need them. Team Europe, European Union's member states, European Investment Bank together are among the largest donors to this facility. I don't have to remind, that India is playing a key role in the COVAX facility in the manufacturing of vaccines which has then been exported. India has actually led the way in donating vaccines in the region and beyond and setting examples of what global solidarity means. Clearly, this is also contingent on domestic needs. It is true for India, it's true for the EU as well. The initial assumption is we want to be open to the needs of the global community. For the European Union, for instance, almost as many vaccines which has been injected into EU citizens have been exported so far. Between January and April, more than 110 million doses of vaccines have been exported from the European Union to more than 40 countries. This is another area where the EU and India have been working based on the same human-centric values. WION: The India, EU leaders virtual summit will take place on 8th May. What will be the key focus at the summit? Ambassador Ugo Astuto: The latest meeting is happening in the backdrop of the global health crisis, so the reaction to the Covid crisis will obviously be paramount. But, besides that, the strategic partnership between European Union and India has been growing vigorously in the last couple of years. At the last summit, in July 2020 we decided to further broaden the scope and areas of cooperation. We want to defend multilateralism, combat climate change, to foster the greening of our economic models. We want to undertake digital transition in a manner that is consistent with our democratic values. We want to foster connectivity to cooperate on political and security issues. So we set up what we call a road up to 2025, guiding us. The next summit, I am sure will inject further momentum into all these topics of interest. For instance, we are working now on preparing a new India connectivity partnership because we share the same principles that underpin--we want connectivity to be environmentally, socially, and physically sustainable. We both recognize the role of the private sector. We want to give the right incentive to come in and build infrastructure in a sustainable manner, in a transparent, inclusive, and rules-based manner. So I think, on these things EU and India are natural partners, for bringing forward the development of a shared vision of connectivity. Another major priority I have to mention is the fight against climate change, in the run-up to COP26 which will take place in Glasgow, India has achieved a very significant result to the greening of its economic model, particularly on renewables--investment in solar has been very impressive with significant result. I believe India is a trendsetter. So much scope for exchanging experiences. Science tells us, as an international community we all need to work together and be ambitious, we want to address the existential issue of climate change, temperatures are still rising, we need to act now for the sake of future generations and we need to make Glasgow a success. Here I think the EU and India have much scope to work together to make Glasgow a success and other priorities I would like to highlight the digital transition. As open societies and democracies, the EU and India can work together to make sure that the digital transition takes place in a secure place, fostering innovation and competition but also full respect to individual rights and freedom. Issues such as data protection, experience with GDPR, or security of networks, all these are relevant issues. Naming a few, there are many other topics like trade and investment, research innovation, there are so many. Lots of cooperation between India and the EU. WION: EU is pushing India on net neutrality. What has the EU offering for achieving it? Technology? Finance? How can a country like India develop a roadmap without clarity on technology and finance? Ambassador Ugo Astuto: What we trying to do in Europe is to develop a model for digital transition which is underpinned by democratic values and which meets the need of the citizen. It must be human-centric, it's not the platforms, it's not about the needs of the state, it's mostly about citizens and its needs. That is why we are undertaking the digital transition because we want to make the lives of citizens easier. We want to protect freedom of expression, offline and online. I think, in this respect the challenge we face as the European Union is very similar to the challenges which India faces. We both are democracies and open societies and I believe that we are facing the same issues and in all likelihood, we can work together to foster convergences when it comes to the regulatory framework. WION: European Council approves conclusions on EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy. What do your Indo-Pacific guidelines mean for India? Ambassador Ugo Astuto: I am sure your have read the approval of the council conclusion on the Indo-Pacific. The council conclusion sets the ground for the approval of a new strategy for the Indo-Pacific which will be issued in the coming months. Now the basic starting point is the European Union is a stakeholder when it comes to the prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific. Indo-Pacific is a region that has tremendous importance for the world, its a center of economic development, its a center of innovation, in a large part, the very future of the world will be decided in the Indo-Pacific. European Union has an important stake, and we want to offer a contribution. A contribution which is underpinned by our strong belief in multilateralism, in a cooperative approach to international relations, respect for International Law, including The Law of the Seas. These principles, bring us naturally close to India and its own endeavor to make the Indo pacific region of peace and prosperity. I think the council conclusion and the strategy will help us in identifying additional common converging interest in the region against the risk of instability and in order to foster our common view of a prosperous future for the region. WION: How do you see the situation in Afghanistan? How EU and India can play a vital role? Ambassador Ugo Astuto: You see, India and the EU have a natural convergence of view when it comes to Afghanistan because our major point is gains of the last 20 years, are not lost, in terms of democratic rights, human rights, women's rights. We want a peace process that is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, this is our priority and we have no other interest-- the prosperity, and welfare of Afghanistan. We are following developments with this in mind that the framework, the democratic rights, the gains of in terms of rights of women and girls which have been gained in past few years are preserved and are not lost and that road to peace, its a road which is also consolidating the present democratic rights.

India Covid crisis: EU Envoy Ugo Astuto says 'robust response' by Team Europe

Common viral infection influenza's cases reported to the World Health Organization have dropped to minuscule levels after the deadly COVID-19 began its global spread.

The precautionary public health measures taken by governments around the world are helping in stopping the spread of this viral infection.

Influenza viruses are transmitted in much the same way as Coronavirus, but they are less effective at jumping from host to host.

The decrease in flu numbers was both swift and universal.

According to Scientific American magazine, the US saw about 600 deaths from influenza during the 2020-2021 flu season. In comparison, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated there were roughly 22,000 deaths in the prior season and 34,000 two seasons ago.

Meanwhile, The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 149.1 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.14 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 149,197,932 and 3,146,284, respectively.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 32,229,327 and 574,326, respectively, according to the CSSE.

In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 17,997,267 cases.

(With inputs from agencies)

Common viral infection influenza's cases reported to the World Health Organization have dropped to minuscule levels after the deadly COVID-19 began its global spread.

Common viral infection influenza's cases reported to the World Health Organization have dropped to minuscule levels after the deadly COVID-19 began its global spread. The precautionary public health measures taken by governments around the world are helping in stopping the spread of this viral infection. Influenza viruses are transmitted in much the same way as Coronavirus, but they are less effective at jumping from host to host. The decrease in flu numbers was both swift and universal. According to Scientific American magazine, the US saw about 600 deaths from influenza during the 2020-2021 flu season. In comparison, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated there were roughly 22,000 deaths in the prior season and 34,000 two seasons ago. Meanwhile, The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 149.1 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.14 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 149,197,932 and 3,146,284, respectively. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 32,229,327 and 574,326, respectively, according to the CSSE. In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 17,997,267 cases. (With inputs from agencies)

Influenza has virtually disappeared worldwide during the Covid pandemic

As the world reels under waves of pandemic caused to to variants of COVID-19 virus, a vaccine being developed by a French firm may well offer a solution for the long-term fight against the deadly ailment.

The vaccine is being developed by a company named Valneva SE and it can be more 'variant-proof'.

The vaccine is undergoing clinical trials. It uses a 'tried-and-true' vaccine technology that involves inactivated version of the virus. The company announced last week that it had launched a Phase 3 trial of its candidate vaccine. &nbsp;

If the results of the trial are positive, "Valneva aims to make regulatory submissions for initial approval in the autumn of 2021."

Unlike most high-profile coronavirus shots, which use various methods to prime the immune system to fight the coronavirus, Valneva's version is based on an "inactivated" version of the coronavirus itself.

Valneva is a USD 100 million firm listed on Nasdaq. It has already struck a deal with the UK for 190 million doses. The UK contract alone is worth 1.4 billion Euros. This is more than 10 times the company's annual revenue last year.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the world reels under waves of pandemic caused to to variants of COVID-19 virus, a vaccine being developed by a French firm may well offer a solution for the long-term fight against the deadly ailment.

As the world reels under waves of pandemic caused to to variants of COVID-19 virus, a vaccine being developed by a French firm may well offer a solution for the long-term fight against the deadly ailment. The vaccine is being developed by a company named Valneva SE and it can be more 'variant-proof'. The vaccine is undergoing clinical trials. It uses a 'tried-and-true' vaccine technology that involves inactivated version of the virus. The company announced last week that it had launched a Phase 3 trial of its candidate vaccine. If the results of the trial are positive, "Valneva aims to make regulatory submissions for initial approval in the autumn of 2021." Unlike most high-profile coronavirus shots, which use various methods to prime the immune system to fight the coronavirus, Valneva's version is based on an "inactivated" version of the coronavirus itself. Valneva is a USD 100 million firm listed on Nasdaq. It has already struck a deal with the UK for 190 million doses. The UK contract alone is worth 1.4 billion Euros. This is more than 10 times the company's annual revenue last year. (With inputs from agencies)

A 'variant-proof' French vaccine may be key to fight against Covid

Japan's auto industry group said on Thursday that this year's Tokyo Motor Show has been cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. The motor show is being cancelled for the first time in its history.

The biennial car show -- one of Japan's biggest industrial events -- had been scheduled for the autumn, after the Tokyo Olympics take place this summer.

The last Tokyo Motor Show in 2019 drew around 1.3 million people, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA).

This year's event was cancelled because ""it is difficult to offer our main programme in a safe and secure environment", said JAMA chairman Akio Toyoda, also head of Toyota.

A surge in Covid-19 cases driven by more infectious variants is being witnessed. It is expected that a state of emergency will be imposed in major cities.

The pandemic is also playing havoc with the postponed 2020 Olympics, which are set to begin on July 23.

Sections of the public torch relay have been scrapped and several test events and qualifiers cancelled or postponed.

(With inputs from agencies)

Japan's auto industry group said on Thursday that this year's Tokyo Motor Show has been cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. The motor show is being cancelled for the first time in its history.

Japan's auto industry group said on Thursday that this year's Tokyo Motor Show has been cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. The motor show is being cancelled for the first time in its history. The biennial car show -- one of Japan's biggest industrial events -- had been scheduled for the autumn, after the Tokyo Olympics take place this summer. The last Tokyo Motor Show in 2019 drew around 1.3 million people, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). This year's event was cancelled because ""it is difficult to offer our main programme in a safe and secure environment", said JAMA chairman Akio Toyoda, also head of Toyota. A surge in Covid-19 cases driven by more infectious variants is being witnessed. It is expected that a state of emergency will be imposed in major cities. The pandemic is also playing havoc with the postponed 2020 Olympics, which are set to begin on July 23. Sections of the public torch relay have been scrapped and several test events and qualifiers cancelled or postponed. (With inputs from agencies)

Tokyo Motor Show cancelled because of coronavirus pandemic

American Airlines announced in a memo on Tuesday that all of the pilots that were "recalled" during the COVID-19 pandemic will be returning to work.

American Airlines bringing more pilots back

Does having school at the beach sound like a dream? After a year of remote learning and socially distanced classrooms, one school in the Spanish region of Murcia is doing just that, trying to combine clear air and a new way of teaching.

A day at the Spanish beachside classroom

March 11 in history: From Fukushima disaster to Covid-19 pandemic

US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has warned that Oximeters may not always give accurate measurement of oxygen levels in blood if used for patient with 'skin pigmentation'. This almost entirely translates to Oximeters not providing accurate results 100 per cent of the time for patients with dark skin. USFDA has issued a warning in this regard. It uses a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study has been carried out by researchers from University of Michigan Medical School.

Oximeters are devices that are typically attached to fingertips of patients. Oximeters are non-invasive in their measurement of blood oxygen levels. In times of coronavirus pandemic, use of Oximeters has increased many times around the world. Drop in blood Oxygen levels may indicate that a person may be infected by COVID-19 virus.

The study carried out by researchers from University of Michigan compared Oxygen readings from Oximeters to those obtained by a more accurate method called Arterial blood gas. These 'pairs' of readings, taken from 10,001 patients were analysed. The patients had White as well as Black patients. It was found that occurrence of wrong reading of blood oxygen levels was three times more in Black patients than it was in White patients. In these patients, Oximeters gave a wrong reading about blood Oxygen levels being normal whereas it was not so.

Based on this study, USFDA has issued a warning that "pulse oximeters have limitations". It has then advised health care providers to supplement their readings with data from other tests and other information that may forthcoming during the examination of the patient.

US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has warned that Oximeters may not always give accurate measurement of oxygen levels in blood if used for patient with 'skin pigmentation'.

US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has warned that Oximeters may not always give accurate measurement of oxygen levels in blood if used for patient with 'skin pigmentation'. This almost entirely translates to Oximeters not providing accurate results 100 per cent of the time for patients with dark skin. USFDA has issued a warning in this regard. It uses a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study has been carried out by researchers from University of Michigan Medical School. Oximeters are devices that are typically attached to fingertips of patients. Oximeters are non-invasive in their measurement of blood oxygen levels. In times of coronavirus pandemic, use of Oximeters has increased many times around the world. Drop in blood Oxygen levels may indicate that a person may be infected by COVID-19 virus. The study carried out by researchers from University of Michigan compared Oxygen readings from Oximeters to those obtained by a more accurate method called Arterial blood gas. These 'pairs' of readings, taken from 10,001 patients were analysed. The patients had White as well as Black patients. It was found that occurrence of wrong reading of blood oxygen levels was three times more in Black patients than it was in White patients. In these patients, Oximeters gave a wrong reading about blood Oxygen levels being normal whereas it was not so. Based on this study, USFDA has issued a warning that "pulse oximeters have limitations". It has then advised health care providers to supplement their readings with data from other tests and other information that may forthcoming during the examination of the patient.

Oximeters may not always give accurate reading on dark skin: Study

covid-pandemic

Covid Pandemic, News on Covid Pandemic, stories on Covid Pandemic, articles on Covid Pandemic, Covid Pandemic stories at Wion, Covid Pandemic news, Covid Pandemic latest news